Sunday, June 17, 2007

Spotlight Sunday on Susan Stephens

This week The Pink Heart Society is happy to spotlight Best Selling Presents author and brand new Modern Extra author Susan Stephens...

About Susan:

Susan Stephens was a professional singer before meeting her husband on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. In true romance style they met on Monday, became engaged on Friday and were married three months later. They are still very much in love, though Susan does not advise her three children to return home with a similar story as she may not take the news with the same fortitude as her own mother!

Susan had written several non-fiction books when fate took a hand. At a charity costume ball there was an after-dinner auction. One of the lots - 'Spend A Day With An Author' - had been donated by bestselling Mills & Boon author Penny Jordan. Susan's husband bought this lot, and Penny was to become not just a great friend, but a wonderful mentor who encouraged Susan to write romance.

Susan loves her family, her pets, her friends and her writing. She enjoys entertaining, travel and going to theatre and concerts. She reads voraciously, knits, cooks and plays the piano to relax, and can also be found throwing herself off mountains on a pair of skis or galloping through the countryside.

Spotlight On Susan:

Where do you get the inspiration for your books from?

Ideas are filed away in my imagination waiting for a spark to bring them to life. That spark might be a snatch of conversation, or someone I meet, or even something I read in the newspaper. I love traveling to new places and meeting new people, as well as experiencing new things. I shall be going into the desert later this year to stay in a Bedouin tent, so I expect ideas filed away under sheikh will flying from my fingers by Christmas!

Only recently I was staying at an hotel in London when the most luscious man imaginable walked up to the reception desk with his tiny daughter holding his hand. As he spoke to the clerk behind the desk the little girl turned and smiled at me… Now there’s the start of a story if ever there was one!

Meeting my husband on Monday and having him propose to me that Friday. When we went looking for the ring on Saturday we discovered that all the jewelers closed in Malta on Saturday afternoon, but he refused to give up and went banging on doors. Eventually we arrived at the Hilton gift shop, which of course was open to serve the guests. A ring was bought and we married three months later. That’s pretty romantic, I think!

What in a hero makes you drool?

Someone strong and selfless with a sense of humour and that naughty, knowing look in his eyes.

If you weren’t a writer what would you be?

I am in the fortunate position of having enjoyed a career before writing, and though I would no longer want to perform on stage I would happily teach singing and performance techniques again.

What do you do to relax and wind down?

I read, walk, visit the theatre, and listen to music. I also love cooking and baking- and eating too, of course!

How do you get out of a writing rut?

I go for a walk and clear my mind of everything but my beautiful surroundings up on the Yorkshire moors. Once I do that I find the ideas just flow into my head and soon I’m walking faster and faster to get back home and write them down.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

I love Yorkshire and the people here who have made me so welcome, so I guess I’d stay where I am- unless I could have two or three homes- then I might look for some sun and sea as well.

Who would you most like to give a hug to for a fabulous book you’ve read?

I think I would bow my head politely if I met Jane Austen. I’m not sure I would launch in with a hug, but I’m sure she would feel my gratitude and admiration bombarding her just the same!

What music do you listen to when writing?

It changes quite radically depending on whether I’m writing Modern Extra or Presents/Modern.Modern extra is real Paulo Nutini music with a touch of Scissor Sisters and Nina Simone on the side, whereas Presents Modern is La Boheme and Miles Davis, with a dash of Josh Groban.

Tell us a secret nobody knows about you

I don’t know about ‘nobody knows’ perhaps ‘nobody would believe’ is more accurate… I was painfully shy as a child.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

I can’t think of anything off hand.

What have you had to celebrate in the last year?

It’s been a bit of a tough one, one way and another, so I’d say I’ve celebrated the way my children have coped and come through it.

What’s beside your computer when you’re writing?

A photograph of my mother.

If you could kiss anyone in the world who would it be?

I dreamt I kissed Roger Moore last night, which was pretty yucky. And why he should pop into my head I have no idea!

What are you working on now?

I’ve just started my third Modern Extra, which will follow the story of Livvie (Olivia) Tate, sister of Carly Tate, my heroine in Laying Down The Law (Modern Extra January 2008) Livvie describes herself as Miss Prissy-Pants Perfection, and so I gave her a monstrous hero- ex-army type and hard as they come to play with. Hope she enjoys it as much as I will!

Susan's next Presents book One-Night Baby is out in August and can be pre-ordered from Amazon. And you can still rush out and grab a copy of her first ever Modern Extrabook Dirty Weekend which is available from both Amazon and Mills & Boon (and just look at that cover!)

Susan loves to hear from her readers and to find out more you can visit both her fab Website and her Blog for more info on what she's up to!